City to begin enforcing new sidewalk nuisance law on Monday

Starting Monday, July 1, Oahu’s sidewalks will start to look a lot cleaner because the city will start enforcing the new sidewalk law.

The new law will allow city crews to immediately remove personal property deemed a “sidewalk-nuisance.”

“Sidewalk-nuisance” means any object or collection of objects constructed, erected, installed, maintained, kept, or operated on or over any sidewalk, including but not limited to structures, stalls, stands, tents, furniture, and containers, and any of their contents or attachments.

That includes tents and furniture set up by the homeless, protesters and other illegal sidewalk campers.

It’s a measure that’s not sitting well with people who live on the streets.

“These people coming around and taking things that’s the only thing people got. And they only get so much money a month or maybe none,” homeless woman Sharon Rose said.

Honolulu Mayor, Kirk Caldwell signed the bill into law in April.

Before the law went into effect the city had to issue a 24-hours warning before taking any property.

Purpose. HRS Section 46-1.5(12) authorizes the City and County of Honolulu to enact and enforce ordinances necessary to prevent or summarily remove public nuisances and to compel the clearing or removal of any public nuisance from sidewalks. The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize the summary removal by the city of public nuisances from the sidewalk.